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INNER SOLE FOR BOOTS 0R SHOES.

No. 358,860. Patented Mar. 8,1887.

EEEIEE- @MWL- m 1M M llmrnn Srarns Parana FFICEe CHARLES W. KING, OF RUTHERFORD, NEWV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE INNER SOLE FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,860, dated March 8, 1887. Application filed July 1, 1886. Serial No. 206,759. (No model.)

To all whom, it iii/cry concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. KING, of Rutherford, county of Bergen, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inner Soles for Boots or Shoes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof, in whieh- Figure 1 is a plan view. on dotted line, Fig.1.

My improved inner sole is designed as a light and flexible inner sole for shoes of comparatively cheap grade; and it consists of a central layer of tarred material, which is known as ship sheathing felt, inclosed between layers of woven fabric.

The outer layers, a a, are of muslin or similar woven fabric, preferably of light weight, and are secured to the central layer, 1), of felt by the use of an adhesive substance, or otherwise, the object being to secure the layers to gether sufficiently to enable them to be han died in dieing out the sole and in securing it in the shoe. The middle layer is composed of a material which is made from paper-stock and tar, and which is known as ship-sheathing felt, it being used largely as a sheathing paper or feltunder the metallic sheathing of vessels. The peculiar quality of this sheathingfelt is its tendency to crumble and disintegrate when bent first in one direction and then in another, as by the operation of finishing the shoe or the movement of the foot in wearing it. This movement cracks this central layer, scales it off, and disintegrates it, especially throughout the central portions of the sole, where the layers are subject to greater move- Fig. 2 is a section ment relatively to each other than at the edges, and as the bending movement continues the sole, particularly throughout the central portions thereof, becomes more flexible asit grows thinner until the middle layer wholly or largely disappears. The edges of the sole where it is secured by the stitches which pass through tain substantially their original thickness, since the stitches prevent at this point any movement of thelayers relativelyto each other or to the surrounding parts of the shoe. After the shoe has been worn for some time, and the middle layer of the inner sole has crumbled and become disintegrated, wholly or partially, throughout the central portions, the layers of woven fabric remain, affording a light, soft, and flexible inner sole in the shoe.

Myiinproved sole is inexpensive, and, while affording a lighter and more flexible inner sole for cheap shoes than any now known to me, has also a water-proof quality and prevents the squeaking of the shoe. The tar of the central layer is absorbed to a considerable extent by the outer layers, a a, and thus the waterproof quality remains after the central layer has become disintegrated.

\Vhat I claim is- An inner sole for boots or shoes, composed of a layer of sheathing-felt, which is composed chiefly of paper-stock and tar inelosed between layers of woven fabric, substantially as set forth.

CHARLES WV. KING. WVitnesses:

WM. A. MAoLEoD, Ronrmr WALLA on.

45 the upper and through the outer sole main- 

